‘Supreme Court needs to scrutinise ‘APC-favoured court verdicts’

Femi Falana, a lawyer and human rights crusader, has weighed in on the controversy that has dogged the verdict of the Court of Appeal on Kano governorship dispute.

The appellate court, in its ruling, sacked Abba Yussuf as governor. It also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue return certificate to Nasir Ganuwa of the All Progressives Congress as the authentic winner of the poll.

On the Kano issue, Falana said the appellate court decided to punish innocent voters, instead of INEC.

He said: “You are being told in Plateau that there was a judgment of the high court to the effect that primaries have to be conducted. The judgment, as usual, was dishonoured and disobeyed and the election went on.

“It is different from Kano, where you are being told that voters can be punished. It is a very dangerous judicial policy to sanction voters for the mistake of electoral officers.

“We are being told that 165,000 votes are wasted; they are invalid because some electoral officers committed an error by not stamping them.”

“I do hope that this time around the Supreme Court will resolve these needless controversies surrounding the non-stamping of ballot papers by INEC officials, who have not been recommended for any sanction.

“This is why these judgments will have to be reviewed.”